Scoparia plant named ‘Suntutuki’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Scoparia  plant named ‘Suntutuki’, characterized by its upright, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; very freely flowering habit; small yellow-colored flowers; flowering continuous from spring to late autumn; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Scoparia sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Suntutuki’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scopariaplant, botanically known as Scoparia sp., and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name Suntutuki.

The new Scoparia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new freely-branching Scoparias with numerousflowers and attractive flower coloration.

The new Scoparia originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2000 of a proprietary selection of Scoparia sp.identified as code number SC6, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with a proprietary selection of Scoparia sp. identified as codenumber SC7, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newScoparia was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny ofthe cross-pollination by the Inventor in a controlled environment inYokaichi, Shiga, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan since November, 2002,has shown that the unique features of this new Scoparia are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Suntutuki have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Suntutuki’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Suntutuki’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofScoparia:

-   -   1. Upright, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Very freely flowering habit.    -   4. Small yellow-colored flowers.    -   5. Flowering continuous from spring to late autumn.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Scoparia can be compared to plants of the parentselections. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Yokaichi, Shiga,Japan, plants of the new Scoparia were larger and had larger flowersthan plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Scoparia weremore upright, had shorter internodes and were more freely branching thanplants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Scoparia can be compared to plants of the cultivar,W1, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Yokaichi,Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Scoparia differed from plants of thecultivar W1 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scoparia were larger and more vigorous than        plants of the cultivar W1.    -   2. Plants of the new Scoparia had smaller leaves than plants of        the cultivar W1.    -   3. Plants of the new Scoparia were more freely flowering than        plants of the cultivar W1.    -   4. Plants of the new Scoparia had larger flowers than plants of        the cultivar W1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Scoparia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Suntutuki’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up of a floweringstem of ‘Suntutuki’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse during the autumn with day temperaturesaveraging 25° C. and night temperatures averaging 15° C. Plants weregrown in 15-cm container and had been growing for about eight monthswhen the photographs and description were taken. Color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Scoparia sp. cultivar Suntutuki.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Scoparia sp.            identified as code number SC6, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Scoparia sp.            identified as code number SC7, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About six days at 20 to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three weeks at            20 to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, fleshy; light brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Upright, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit.            Freely branching growth habit with lateral branches forming            potential at every node. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Fragrance.—Similar to red licorice.        -   Plant height.—About 12.2 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 23.8 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About            0.8 mm. Internode length: About 1.2 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146C.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Whorled, ternate; simple.            Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Pinnately            lobed. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire; lobed.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; hairs very            short. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing and            fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 146A; venation, 146A.            Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 146C;            venation, 146C. Petiole: Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About            0.8 mm. Color: 146A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Solitary axillary star-shaped            flowers; typically three per node. Flowers not persistent.            Flowers face upright or outwardly. Very freely flowering            habit.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower from spring to late            autumn in Japan; flowering continuous during this period.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three days.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower size.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 5.8 mm.            Depth: About 6 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2.4 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: 143C.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Four petals in a single whorl;            fused at the base. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 5 mm.            Shape: Rhomboidal. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, satiny. Color:            When opening, upper and lower surfaces: 5A. Fully opened,            upper and lower surfaces: 5A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals;            fused at the base. Length: About 3.5 mm. Width: About            1.4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: 143C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 0.2 mm. Angle:            About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: 143C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.            Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther            color: 5A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 5A.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Style color: 5A. Stigma            shape: Oblong. Stimga color: 149A. Ovary color: 151C.        -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Scoparia have not been    noted to be resistant to specific pathogens or pests common to    Scoparia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Scoparia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and tolerated    temperatures from −1 to 35° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Scoparia plant named ‘Suntutuki’, asillustrated and described.